Data grid components

ABSTRACT

A data grid software component has data cells with a style that may be template-based or individual. A data cell may include a software component to show and interact with a bitmap, a graph, a chart, streaming graphics, or streaming bitmaps. The data grid may have footers, headers, and corner cells each capable of holding another software component to show and interact with several data forms. A header, a footer, and a corner cell can each have a style that is template-based or individual. Headers and footers may have multiple levels. Header parts and footer parts at different levels may have a style that is template-based or individual.

BACKGROUND

The present invention is in the area of computer graphical userinterfaces (GUIs). It can be used in applications that display tabulardata in a scrollable grid, allowing user interaction to update thetabular data. Embodiments of the invention include methods to displayand interact with tabular data, tangible non-transitory media includingsuch methods, and computer systems executing such methods.

GUI developer uses software components (software components are alsocalled controls or widgets) to build a GUI for a software application.One of the most basic software components is a window, a rectangulararea that has a width and a height, a position on the computer screen,and one or more rendering properties, such as a color. A window cancontain other software components, but it can also be used as the basisfor a more complex software component, such as a button, a text field, adropdown box, a menu, a scrollbar, etc.

Data grids are software components used to display tabular data, oftenin a text form. The tabular data may be presented in an X-direction (arow), in a Y-direction (a column), and a Z-direction—usually in the formof multiple tabs, each containing a field containing rows and columns.Typically, rows are preceded by a row header identifying the rowlocation and columns are preceded by a column header identifying thecolumn location. For example, Microsoft Excel displays worksheets (datagrids) in which row headers show row numbers (1 . . . 1,048,576), andcolumn headers show column letter combinations (A . . . XFD).

Conventional data grids are primarily directed towards displaying textand numbers. However, advanced data grids, including those used inMicrosoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc, LibreOffice Calc and those availablein GUI development environments such as NetBeans, Qt, etc., have manymore capabilities, including formatting of text fonts, renderingbackgrounds of individual cells or cell ranges, overlaying the data gridwith bitmaps, vector-based graphics or other objects, populating anindividual cell with a widget such as a dropdown box, and evenpopulating an individual cell with a graph. Navigation can be an issue.For example, using the Tab and arrow keys, an Excel user can eithernavigate the functions in the ribbon, or navigate the cells of a datagrid, or navigate objects overlaying the data grid. Use of the Alt andESC keys allows some means of switching between different types ofnavigation, but no simple intuitive way is provided to navigate from acell to an object overlaying a worksheet using just a keyboard.

Embodiments of the invention address issues including renderingperformance, navigation, cell style, and provide header innovation.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the invention include methods to display and interactwith tabular data in a scrollable grid and to create software capablethereof, tangible non-transitory media including such methods, andcomputer systems executing such methods. The simplest way to present andinteract with the tabular data is in the form of text. The tabular datamay be presented in at least a first direction, but is most oftenarranged in an X-direction (a row) and a Y-direction (a column). Acomputer graphical user interface (GUI) developer uses softwarecomponents (software components are also called controls or widgets) tobuild a GUI for a software application. Data grids are softwarecomponents to display and interact with tabular data on a computerscreen.

Embodiments of the invention provide greater utility to both GUIdevelopers and end users by addressing issues including renderingperformance, navigation, cell style, and providing header innovation.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the invention includes a method forcreating a data grid software component for display in a graphical userinterface (GUI) on a computer's screen. The method comprises threesteps: (a) creating a software class including a container window; (b)instantiating a data grid object from the software class; and (c)populating the data grid object with two or more data cell windows anddisplaying the data grid object in the GUI. The method has severallimitations: (i) the software class is configured to include two or moredata cell windows, displayable in a grid organization in the containerwindow; (ii) each data cell window is included in a data cell; (iii) afirst data cell includes a first style property to define a firstdisplay style of a first data cell window included in the first datacell; (iv) the first style property is configured to include one or moreof a first individual value and a first template value; and (v) thefirst data cell window is capable of displaying a first data valueincluded in the first data cell.

In further embodiments, the software class may comprise a footercarrying a text label and/or a second software component. The secondsoftware component may be adapted to show and interact with one or moreof text, a bitmap, a graph, a chart, streaming graphics, and a streamingbitmap and wherein display data is received or retrieved from one ormore of a software program, a database, a data file, and a data stream.The footer may include a footer style property adapted to include one ormore of an individual footer style value and a template footer stylevalue. The footer may have multiple levels.

In yet further embodiments, the software class may comprise a headerconfigured to include a third software component. The third softwarecomponent may be adapted to show and interact with one or more of abitmap, a graph, a chart, streaming graphics, and a streaming bitmap andwherein display data is received or retrieved from one or more of asoftware program, a database, a data file, and a data stream. The headermay include a header style property adapted to include one or more of anindividual header style value and a template header style value. Theheader may have multiple levels.

In even further embodiments, the software class may comprise a cornercell configured to include one or more of a text label and a fourthsoftware component. The fourth software component may be adapted to showand interact with one or more of text, a bitmap, a graph, a chart,streaming graphics, and a streaming bitmap and wherein display data isreceived or retrieved from one or more of a software program, adatabase, a data file, and a data stream. The corner cell may include acorner cell style property adapted to include one or more of anindividual corner cell style value and a template corner cell stylevalue.

In a second aspect, embodiments of the invention include a tangible,non-transitory computer-readable information storage medium includinginstructions adapted to direct a computer to display a data grid in aGUI, comprising at least part of the methods described above.

In a third aspect, embodiments of the invention include a system capableof executing at least part of the methods described above.

A further understanding of the nature and the advantages of particularembodiments disclosed herein may be realized by reference of theremaining portions of the specification and the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described with reference to the drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional basic data grid example;

FIG. 2 illustrates another conventional data grid example;

FIG. 3 illustrates a data grid with header styles and data cell stylesaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a data grid with a header and a data cell containingobjects according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a data grid with multi-level headers and footersaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a data grid with graphs, and footers showing datascales for the graphs according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a method for navigating a GUI with a data gridaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a method for creating a data grid software componentaccording to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 9 illustrates an example system capable of implementing embodimentsof the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention include methods to display and interactwith tabular data in a scrollable grid and to create software capablethereof, tangible non-transitory media including such methods, andcomputer systems executing such methods. The simplest way to present andinteract with the tabular data is in the form of text. The tabular datamay be presented in at least a first direction, but is most oftenarranged in an X-direction (a row) and a Y-direction (a column). Acomputer graphical user interface (GUI) developer uses softwarecomponents (software components are also called controls or widgets) tobuild a GUI for a software application. Data grids are softwarecomponents to display and interact with tabular data on a computerscreen.

Embodiments of the invention provide greater utility to both GUIdevelopers and end users by addressing issues including renderingperformance, navigation, cell style, and providing header innovation.

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional basic data grid example 100. Data grid100 includes window 102, which acts as overall container of the softwarecomponent, and which may act as a background canvas. Window 102 includesdata cells 101.1.1 through 101.6.4, here arranged in 6 rows and fivecolumns. A first row includes data cells 101.1.1 . . . 101.1.5, etc.,and a first column includes data cells 101.1.1 . . . 101.6.1. Data cellsin the fifth column (101.1.5 . . . 101.5.5) are only partiallydisplayed. Horizontal scrollbar 104 allows a user to scrollhorizontally. Conventional data grids may offer a predetermined numberof data cells, arranged in a fixed order of rows and columns, or a GUIdeveloper or the application in which a data grid is used may determinethe number of data cells, rows, and columns. Example data grid 100includes 29 data cells, showing that not all rows or columns need tohave the same number of data cells. Data cells typically span one rowand one column. However, many conventional data grids allow data cellsto span multiple adjacent rows and/or columns. Therefore, a data gridthat includes six rows and five columns may have any number of datacells from 0 to 30. Each data cell (a data structure) typically includesa rectangular window (the data cell window). The data structurerepresents cell data and may contain aspects of the cell data itself aswell as contextual information of its visual presentation and the typesof user interaction that are permitted. The data cell window may displayparts or all of the cell data, for example in the form of a text or anumber. To display cell data or interact with the cell data, a cellwindow may also include another software component. For example, when auser wants to change cell data that is limited to specific values in alist, the cell window may include a dropdown box software component toshow permitted list values. When the user picks a new value, the celldata is changed to the new value.

FIG. 2 illustrates another conventional data grid example 200. Data grid200 includes a grid of more than seven rows, and four columns. Onlyseven rows are shown, and vertical scrollbar 204 allows a user to scrollto the remaining rows. Data grid 200 shows 25 data cells, items 201.1.1through 201.7.3. It additionally shows column headers 202 and rowheaders 203. When a user scrolls vertically, with vertical scrollbar204, column headers 202 remain in place whereas the data cells movevertically in accordance with vertical scrollbar 204. Row headers 203scroll along with the data cells. When a user scrolls horizontally,using a horizontal scrollbar (not shown), row headers 203 remain inplace whereas column headers 202 and the data cells move horizontally inaccordance with the horizontal scrollbar. Data grids typicallydistinguish headers from data cells by using a different visual style orformatting. For example, headers in data grid 200 have thicker boundarylines and a bold typeface.

FIG. 3 illustrates a data grid 300 with header styles and data cellstyles according to an embodiment of the invention. Data grid 300includes data cells 301.1.1 . . . 301.7.3, column headers 302.1-302.4,and row headers 303.1-303.7. Whereas data cells in conventional datagrids need to each be initialized with various elements of the visualappearance, embodiments of the invention may include data cells and/orheader cells whose visual appearance is at least partially determined byone or more templates. Embodiments may capture one or more styles eachin a template, and headers or data cells may refer to a style, or acombination of styles, to determine their visual appearance.Additionally, they may carry individual style information that may atleast partially replace or complement the template based styleinformation.

FIG. 3 shows column headers 302.1 and 302.4 in a first header style, andcolumn headers 302.2 and 302.3 in a second header style. It shows rowheaders 303.1, 303.2, 303.4, 303.6 and 303.7 in the first header style,and row headers 303.3 and 303.5 in a third header style. In thisexample, the different styles are illustrated by different backgroundrendering of the headers. FIG. 3 further shows most data cells in afirst data cell style (with white background), whereas data cells301.3.2 and 301.3.3 are shown in a second data cell style, and datacells 301.5.2 and 301.5.3 are shown in a third data cell style.

Embodiments may define a data grid in any of a large variety ofprogramming languages and data formats. For example, some GUI developersmay prefer to work in a compiled language, such as Java or C++, andother GUI developers may prefer to work in a script language, such asJavaScript or Python. Similarly, software components may be compiled, orinterpreted. They may be used from a pre-compiled library, or they maybe borrowed from a non-operating system dependent GUI technology, suchas hypertext markup language (HTML). The latter is very convenient fordefining styles. For example, an embodiment may implement a data cell ora header as a <DIV> element. The format of an individual DIV element maydirectly be programmed in one or more style statements. The style formultiple DIV elements may be programmed as a class (a style template notto be confused with a software class as used elsewhere in thisdocument), which may be defined in a cascading style sheet (CSS file).An embodiment can change all data cells and/or headers in a classsimultaneously by modifying the class definition, and it can change alldata cells and/or headers in multiple classes simultaneously byreplacing a CSS file.

FIG. 4 illustrates a data grid 400 with a header 402.3 and a data cell401.3.1 containing objects according to an embodiment of the invention.Data grid 400 includes data cells 401.1.1 . . . 401.7.3. Data cell401.3.1 includes a bitmap. In one embodiment, the data cell window maycontain a software component (an object) that is optimized for displayof bitmaps, for example an <IMG> element in an HTML system or a graphicsview widget in any GUI development environment. In another embodiment,the bitmap may be directly painted onto the data cell window, forexample a <DIV> element in HTML. In a further embodiment, the bitmap maybe directly painted onto the data cell window as the result of usage ofa class or style template, as discussed above with reference to FIG. 3.

Column header 402.3 includes a date picker software component. The datepicker shows a date (May 31, 2016) including a month, a day, and a year,and including controls to spin each of these up or down. Softwaredevelopers use date pickers, and similar software components, to allow auser to enter valid data only. In other words, whereas editing a date inthe form of text would allow a user to enter an invalid date, a datepicker would only accept valid dates. Conventional data grids do notallow users to edit or modify headers and may not allow developers tofill data cells or headers with objects, such as a software component.

In embodiments, data cells may be configured to include text captionsand/or software components, for example configured to show and interactwith a date, a time, a graph, a chart, a bitmap, streaming graphics, anda streaming bitmap. Display data may be received and/or retrieved fromone or more of a software program, a database, a data file, and a datastream.

Additionally, embodiments may offer improved rendering performance bytying a data entry object to a data cell only once a user clicks on thedata cell to start editing the data contained in it. In this manner,when a data grid includes a large range of data cells whose input datamust be validated by a software component, only the data cell beingedited is burdened with the computational complexity of the softwarecomponent (object).

FIG. 5 illustrates a data grid 500 with multi-level headers and footersaccording to an embodiment of the invention. Data grid 500 includes acolumn of row headers 503 and a column of row footers 504. It furtherincludes a row of multi-level column headers 506 and a row of columnfooters 507. Corner cells on the crossing of header/footer rows andheader/footer columns include bottom left corner cell 508 and bottomright corner cell 509.

In the embodiment, row footers, like row headers, do not respond to auser's horizontal scroll inputs, but they move vertically along withdata cells in response to the user's vertical scroll inputs. Similarly,column footers in the embodiment do not respond to the user's verticalscroll inputs, but they move horizontally along with data cells inresponse to the user's horizontal scroll inputs. In some embodiments,footers may have the same style as headers, or the same style as theircorresponding headers, or they may have a different style, or footers orranges of footers may have individual styles and/or styles based on oneor more templates. In further embodiments, individual footer stylevalues may override template footer style values. In the example datagrid 500, column footers in column footer row 507, as well as cornercells 508 and 509, feature a different background rendering thanmulti-level column headers 506.

In some embodiments, headers and/or footers may display text captions,rather than the coordinates of conventional data grids. Footer textcaptions may be the same as header text captions. For example, rowfooters 504 display the same captions as row headers 503 (“Men”,“Ladies”, etc.). Footer text captions may be different than header textcaptions. For example, column footers 507 display very differentcaptions (77.0, 109.1, etc.) than the corresponding column headers 506(“Sales 2017*$1 k”, “Q1”, etc.). Footers may include objects, includingsoftware components, graphics views, and any other objects with a visualaspect. In an embodiment, a footer may include a software componentconfigured to show and interact with one or more of a text, a date, atime, a graph, a chart, a bitmap, streaming graphics, and a streamingbitmap; and wherein display data is received or retrieved from one ormore of a software program, a database, a data file, and a data stream.

Row 506 shows an example embodiment of multi-level column headers. Row506 includes two levels: a basic level with granularity equal to thegranularity of data cell columns (containing captions “Q1”, “Q2”, etc.),and a higher level spanning several data cell columns (with captions“Sales 2017*$1 k” and “Forecast 2018*$ . . . ”). Whereas example 500shows multi-level column headers, further embodiments may includemulti-level column footers, multi-level row headers, and/or multi-levelrow footers. Whether headers or footers, or parts thereof, span singlerows/columns or multiple rows/columns, each may have an individual styleor a template based style, each may have an individual text caption, andeach may include objects, including software components, graphics views,and any other objects with a visual aspect. Multi-level headers andfooters may have any depth, i.e. any number of levels, and any extent,i.e. they may span any number of rows or columns. Multi-level headersmay have a hierarchical structure, which may be driven by a data source.

Embodiments may further include corner cells, of which each may have anindividual style or a template based style, each may have an individualtext caption, and each may include objects, including softwarecomponents, graphics views, and any other objects with a visual aspect.In an embodiment, a corner cell may include a software componentconfigured to show and interact with one or more of a text, a date, atime, a graph, a chart, a bitmap, streaming graphics, and a streamingbitmap; and wherein display data is received or retrieved from one ormore of a software program, a database, a data file, and a data stream.Example corner cells 508 and 509 are simple, with a style that matchesthe style of footer row 507, and equal text captions (“TOTAL”). Cornercells do not respond to any user scroll inputs. In embodiments,individual corner cell style values may override template corner cellstyle values.

Further embodiments may include high-watermark scrolling to avoid theneed for a data grid to show a vertical scrollbar in mobileapplications. High-watermark scrolling is a scroll policy that adds aset number of rows to the overall data grid height when explicitlyrequested by a user. This scroll policy is most appropriate when noother page content exists beneath the data grid and the data gridcontent is also the prevailing page content. In case there is more datato be shown, the embodiment shows a button, icon, or link, for exampleon the bottom right of the table, that a user can tap or click to showan additional page of entries or to load more data. A data gridembodiment may implement its data structure in a Document Object Model(DOM) as a data hierarchy. If the embodiment includes high-watermarkscrolling, it may keep a first page DOM in local memory as it loads asecond page or it may keep existing DOM elements in local memory as itloads more data.

Yet further embodiments that implement a DOM may include virtualscrolling. In virtual scrolling, an embodiment keeps the content oflocal memory as small as possible by removing DOM elements outside of adata grid's view port from local memory.

FIG. 6 illustrates a data grid 600 with graphs, and footers showing datascales for the graphs according to an embodiment of the invention. Datagrid 600 includes data cells 601.1-602.3, column headers 603.1-603.3,row headers 604, row footers 605, column footers 606, vertical scrollbar 607, horizontal scroll bar 608, and data comments panel 609.

Data cells 601.1-602.3 each display a graph. As has been mentioned withrespect to FIG. 4, some embodiments may paint a graph directly onto adata cell window, whereas in other embodiments a data cell window mayinclude another object, for example a graphics view software componentor a widget optimized for displaying graphs. The graphs in data grid 600may be based on sets of data items that the embodiment retrieves from orreceives from a database, data file, or data stream, whereas in yetother embodiments graphs may simply have been frozen in bitmaps. As datacomments panel 609 suggests, the graphs compare sales of blueberries,kiwis, lemons, and strawberries in big box stores (column headers603.1-603.3) in Boston and New York (row headers 604). Column footers606 show a horizontal scale for the graphs (0-100) and row footers 605show a vertical scale for the graphs (0-60). Some embodiments mayprovide the scale as a bitmap. Other embodiments, that allow an end userto resize the data grid, may dynamically generate the scales as theypaint the footers on the screen. Besides scale values, some embodimentsmay display rulers in footers (or headers, as the case may be), or otherelements that are meaningful for an end user to interpret the graphs.

Data grid 600 further shows that text elements need not be horizontal.The texts in row headers 604 are vertical, i.e. they have been rotated90 degrees counter-clockwise. Embodiments may display text in datacells, headers, footers, and/or corner cells rotated any number ofdegrees.

FIG. 7 illustrates a method 700 for navigating a GUI with a data gridaccording to an embodiment of the invention. The method is based on thenotion that two or more levels of navigation exist. The first (andhighest) level is navigation within the GUI, where a user may navigatefrom software component to software component using, for example, theTab, Shift+Tab, Page Up, Page Down, Home, End, and/or arrow keys.Normally, applications let a user navigate within a tab order sequenceof the software components, where the Tab key will navigate to a nextsoftware component in the sequence, and Shift+Tab will navigate to aprevious software component. The next (second) level is navigationwithin a selected software component. A common-sense solution would beto limit Tab and Shift+Tab to the highest level of navigation and to useother keys for navigation within the software components. However,within a data grid this is a problem since many users are familiar withMicrosoft Excel which uses the Tab and Shift+Tab keys to navigate withina worksheet. Further, in a data grid it must be possible to navigatewithin a software component that is included in a data cell, or tonavigate within a data cell text that is being edited. This introducesat least a third level of navigation. Embodiments of the inventionassign two navigation level change keys. For example, the F2 key enablesa user to change to a lower level of navigation, and the ESC key enablesa user to change to a higher level of navigation. Method 700 includesthe following steps.

Step 710—the embodiment initializes the navigation level and initiallyselected software component. For example, navigation might beinitialized at the highest level, and a software component location inthe top left corner of an application main window. Or, navigation mightbe initialized at the second level where the initially selected softwarecomponent is a data grid. Within the data grid, the embodiment defines afirst selected data cell, for example the top left cell.

Step 720—receiving a user navigation input. The user navigation inputmay include “level up”, “level down”, “next item”, “previous item”,“item up”, “item down”, etc., as per the assigned keys, such as ESC, F2,Tab or right arrow, Shift+Tab or left arrow, up arrow, down arrow, etc.Because of the widespread use of spreadsheets, users are familiar withseveral more keys and key combinations that facilitate navigation withina data grid and that feel intuitive. All such keys and key combinationsare within the ambit and scope of the present invention.

Step 730—determining if the received user navigation input includes alevel change command (level up, or level down).

Step 740—upon determining that the received user navigation inputincludes a level change command, changing the navigation level andreturning to step 720.

Step 750—navigating within the level based on the received usernavigation input, and returning to step 720. For example, when thereceived user navigation input includes the command “next item” (forexample from the Tab or the right arrow key) and navigation is set atthe first level, the embodiment will select a next software component inthe tab order. But if navigation is set at the second level, and theselected software component is a data grid, then the embodiment willselect a next data cell within the data grid. If navigation is set at athird level, the embodiment may select a next character within a datacell, or may select a next item within a software component contained ina data cell.

Method 700 focuses on user inputs via a keyboard. GUIs support many moretypes of user inputs (including via a mouse, stylus, screen gestures,voice controls, eye controls, etc.) as well as different keyboard inputssuch as Ctrl+<key> or Alt+<key>, where the user inputs may containcomplex navigation commands, such as the command to navigate to aspecific software component and change navigation level if needed.Support for complex commands is merely an extension of method 700, whichremains intact for embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a method 800 for creating a data grid softwarecomponent according to an embodiment of the invention. The data grid isfor use in a GUI to interact with and visually display data on acomputer screen. Method 800 includes the following steps andlimitations.

Step 810—creating a software class including a container window. Asoftware class constitutes a software template for an object that maycontain functions and properties. Functions and properties may be eitherpublic or private. Public functions are mostly used to interface withthe class's properties, but they may also be used to act on externalvariables. Properties, whether public or private, may be as simple asvariables, or as complex as other objects and software components, orpointers or references thereto.

Limitation 820—the software class is configured to include two or moredata cell windows, displayable in a grid organization in the containerwindow. The grid organization may be in one or more dimensions. Mosttypically, data cell windows are organized in rows and columns torepresent the values included in two-dimensional data tables. However, adata grid may also represent a one-dimensional table (a simple list), athree-dimensional table (multiple pages of two-dimensional tables, afour-dimensional table (multiple books of three-dimensional tables),etc. A data cell window may be as simple as a uniform rectangle torepresent empty data, or a text label to represent text or numeric data,or the data cell window may be a container window of another softwarecomponent, for example one for entering, selecting, or editing textualdata, or one for displaying and interacting with complex graphical data.

Limitation 830—each data cell window is included in a data cell. A datacell may be a data structure that includes the data to be displayed,contextual information about the data and the way it is displayed, andthe data cell window. It may also include information about how the usermay interact with the data, for example whether it is locked orunlocked, the types of data allowed, and whether invalid data isrejected.

Limitation 840—a first data cell includes a first style property todefine a first display style of a first data cell window included in thefirst data cell. The style property may impact many aspects ofdisplaying the data, including background color, foreground color,typeface, font, font effects, font size, positioning, alignment, and anyother type of formatting that is common in the art.

Limitation 850—the first style property is configured to be based on oneor more of a first individual value and a first template value. Thefirst template may be an external template, prescribing part or all ofthe aspects of displaying the data, or it may be an internal templatethat can be selected to replace part or all of the aspects of displayingthe data that may come with the class implementation's default values.The first style property may include some element values from the firsttemplate, whereas others are overwritten or overridden by individualelement values.

Limitation 860—the first data cell window is capable of displaying afirst data value included in the first data cell. Embodiments mayreceive or retrieve the first data from a database, a data file, or adata stream. Embodiments may decode, demodulate, decrypt, process,combine, or manipulate the first data prior to displaying.

Step 870—instantiating a data grid object from the software class.Whereas the software class provides a template, embodiments instantiatean actual data grid software component from the software class for usingit in a GUI.

Step 880—populating the data grid object with two or more data cellwindows to show at least two data values and displaying the data gridobject in the GUI. Populating the data grid enables it to receive orretrieve data for its data cell windows and to display the data to auser, and to receive user inputs to modify the data.

In embodiments, the software class may further comprise a footerconfigured to include one or more of a text label and another softwarecomponent. In further embodiments, the software class comprises a cornercell configured to include one or more of a text label and anothersoftware component. In yet further embodiments, the software classfurther comprises a header configured to include another softwarecomponent.

In some embodiments, the software class further comprises a multi-levelheader, or a multi-level footer. A multi-level header may include afirst level with granularity equal to the granularity of data cellcolumns or rows, as well as a second and further levels spanningmultiple columns or rows. Whether headers or footers, or parts thereof,span single rows/columns or multiple rows/columns, each may have anindividual style and/or a template based style, each may have anindividual text caption, and each may include objects, includingsoftware components, graphics views, and any other objects with a visualaspect.

In embodiments, a data cell may be configured to include one or more ofa text label and another software component. The data grid object mayinclude a third data cell window adapted for displaying a graph. And thethird data cell window may be adapted for displaying a graph capable ofshowing data received or retrieved from a database.

FIG. 9 illustrates a system suitable for implementing embodiments of theinvention. FIG. 9 shows an example computer and network systemarchitecture 900 suitable for implementing embodiments of the invention.The system includes the following user computers, which may be clientcomputers including a GUI: desktop computer 960, notebook computer 970,mobile phone 980, smart phone 985, and tablet 990. The system caninterface with any type of electronic device, such as a thin-clientcomputer, internet-enabled mobile telephone, mobile internet accessdevice, tablet, electronic book, or personal digital assistant, capableof displaying and navigating web pages or other types of electronicdocuments. Although the system is shown with five user computers, anynumber of user computers can be supported. User computers 960-690 andother electronic devices can act as client systems using host serversincluded in system 900.

A web server 910 is used to process requests from web browsers andstandalone applications for web pages, electronic documents, enterprisedata or other content, and other data from the user computers. Webserver 910 may also provide a menu application, as well as syndicatedcontent, such as RSS or Atom feeds, of data related to enterpriseoperations.

Application server 920 operates one or more mobile applications. Themobile applications can be implemented as one or more scripts orprograms written in any programming language, such as Java, C, C++, C#,or any scripting language, such as JavaScript or ECMAScript, Perl, PHP,Python, Ruby, or TCL. Data applications can be built using libraries orapplication frameworks, such as Rails, Enterprise JavaBeans, or .NET.

The data applications on application server 920 process input data anduser computer requests and can store or retrieve data from database/datastorage device 930. Database/data storage device 930 stores data createdand used by the data applications. In an embodiment, the database/datastorage device 930 includes a relational database, such as MySQL, thatis adapted to store, update, and retrieve data in response to SQL formatcommands. In other embodiments, unstructured data storage architecturesand NoSQL databases may also be used.

In an embodiment, application server 920 includes one or moregeneral-purpose computers capable of executing programs or scripts. Inan embodiment, web server 910 is implemented as an application runningon one or more general-purpose computers. The web server and applicationserver may be combined and executed on the same computer(s).

An electronic communication network enables communication between usercomputers 960-990, web server 910, application server 920, anddatabase/data storage device 930. In an embodiment, the electroniccommunication network may further include any form of electrical oroptical communication devices, including wired network 940 and wirelessnetwork 950. The electronic communication network may also incorporateone or more local-area networks, such as an Ethernet network; enterprisenetworks, wide-area networks, such as internet and cellular carrier datanetworks; and virtual networks, such as a virtual private network.

The system is one example for executing mobile applications according toan embodiment of the invention. In another embodiment, applicationserver, web server, and optionally database can be combined into asingle server computer application and system. In a further embodiment,virtualization and virtual machine applications may be used to implementone or more of the application server, web server, and database. Instill further embodiments, all or a portion of the web server andapplication functions may be integrated into an application running oneach of the user computers. For example, a JavaScript application on theuser computer may be used to retrieve or analyze data and displayportions of the applications.

Although the description has been described with respect to particularembodiments thereof, these particular embodiments are merelyillustrative, and not restrictive. For example, all figures depicttwo-dimensional tables, with a left-to-right and a top-to-bottomconvention. Embodiments of the invention support tables with any numberof dimensions, with left-to-right or right-to-left convention, and withtop-to-bottom or bottom-to-top convention. Styles of data cells,headers, footers, and corner cells are shown as limited to backgroundhatching, font weight, and thickness of the cell border lines. However,embodiments of the invention support any formatting options known in theart, including background color, background hatching, backgroundshading, background gradients, border line colors and dashing, font,font style, font size, font effects, font position, font color (orforeground color), underlining, overlining, text alignment (horizontaland vertical), indentation, wrapping, text orientation, data typelimitations, data value limitations, protection, and data hiding or datacell window hiding. Further, the example figures show static data, ordata that can change upon user interaction. However, each of a datacell, a header, a footer, and a corner cell may have volatile datacoming from an external data stream, or from an internal data generatorsuch as a random number generator. All such variations are within thescope and ambit of embodiments of the invention.

Any suitable programming language can be used to implement the routinesof particular embodiments including C, C++, Java, assembly language,etc. Different programming techniques can be employed such as proceduralor object oriented. The routines can execute on a single processingdevice or multiple processors. Although the steps, operations, orcomputations may be presented in a specific order, this order may bechanged in different particular embodiments. In some particularembodiments, multiple steps shown as sequential in this specificationcan be performed at the same time.

Particular embodiments may be implemented in a tangible, non-transitorycomputer-readable information storage medium for use by or in connectionwith the instruction execution system, apparatus, system, or device.Particular embodiments can be implemented in the form of control logicin software or hardware or a combination of both. The control logic,when executed by one or more processors, may be operable to perform thatwhich is described in particular embodiments. For example, a tangible,non-transitory computer-readable information storage medium such as ahardware storage device can be used to store the control logic, whichcan include executable instructions.

Particular embodiments may be implemented by using a programmedgeneral-purpose digital computer, by using application specificintegrated circuits, programmable logic devices, field programmable gatearrays, optical, chemical, biological, quantum or nano-engineeredsystems, components and mechanisms may be used. In general, thefunctions of particular embodiments can be achieved by any means as isknown in the art. Distributed, networked systems, components, and/orcircuits can be used. Communication, or transfer, of data may be wired,wireless, or by any other means.

It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted inthe drawings/figures can also be implemented in a more separated orintegrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certaincases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application. It isalso within the spirit and scope to implement a program or code that canbe stored in a machine-readable medium to permit a computer to performany of the methods described above.

A “processor” includes any suitable hardware and/or software system,mechanism or component that processes data, signals or otherinformation. A processor can include a system with a general-purposecentral processing unit, multiple processing units, dedicated circuitryfor achieving functionality, or other systems. Processing need not belimited to a geographic location, or have temporal limitations. Forexample, a processor can perform its functions in “real time,”“offline,” in a “batch mode,” etc. Portions of processing can beperformed at different times and at different locations, by different(or the same) processing systems. Examples of processing systems caninclude servers, clients, end user devices, routers, switches, networkedstorage, etc. A computer may be any processor in communication with amemory. The memory may be any suitable processor-readable storagemedium, such as random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM),magnetic or optical disk, or other tangible media suitable for storinginstructions for execution by the processor.

As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow,“a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural references unless the contextclearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein andthroughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and“on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Thus, while particular embodiments have been described herein, latitudesof modification, various changes, and substitutions are intended in theforegoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instancessome features of particular embodiments will be employed without acorresponding use of other features without departing from the scope andspirit as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapta particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit.

We claim:
 1. A method for creating a data grid software component for display in a graphical user interface (GUI) on a computer's screen, the method comprising: (a) creating a software class including a container window, wherein: (i) the software class is configured to include two or more data cell windows, displayable in a grid organization in the container window; (ii) each data cell window is included in a data cell; (iii) a first data cell includes a first style property to define a first display style of a first data cell window included in the first data cell; (iv) the first style property is configured to include one or more of a first individual value and a first template value; and (v) the first data cell window is configured for displaying a first data value included in the first data cell and for receiving user inputs to modify the first data value; (vi) the software class includes a header configured to include a third software component, wherein the header: A. is associated with one of a row and a column; B. includes two or more levels, with a first level matching a granularity of single data cells, and a second level matching a granularity spanning multiple data cells; and wherein the third software component is configured to show and interact with one or more of a date, a time, a graph, a chart, a bitmap, streaming graphics, and a streaming bitmap; and wherein display data is received or retrieved from one or more of a software program, a database, a data file, and a data stream; (b) on the computer, instantiating a data grid object from the software class; and (c) populating the data grid object with two or more data cell windows to show at least two data values and displaying the data grid object in the GUI.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the software class further comprises a footer that includes one or more of a text caption and a second software component and wherein the footer is associated with one of a row and a column.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second software component is configured to show and interact with one or more of a text, a date, a time, a graph, a chart, a bitmap, streaming graphics, and a streaming bitmap; and wherein display data is received or retrieved from one or more of a software program, a database, a data file, and a data stream.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the footer includes a footer style property configured to include one or more of an individual footer style value and a template footer style value.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the individual footer style value overrides the template footer style value.
 6. The method of claim 2, wherein the footer includes two or more levels, with a first level matching a granularity of single data cells, and a second level matching a granularity spanning multiple data cells.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first level includes a first footer style property and the second level includes a second footer style property, each including one or more of an individual footer style value and a template footer style value.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the header includes a header style property configured to include one or more of an individual header style value and a template header style value.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the individual header style value overrides the template header style value.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first level includes a first header style property and the second level includes a second header style property, each including one or more of an individual header style value and a template header style value.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the software class further comprises a corner cell configured to include one or more of a text caption and a fourth software component.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fourth software component is configured to show and interact with one or more of a text, a date, a time, a graph, a chart, a bitmap, streaming graphics, and a streaming bitmap; and wherein display data is received or retrieved from one or more of a software program, a database, a data file, and a data stream.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the corner cell includes a corner cell style property configured to include one or more of an individual corner cell style value and a template corner cell style value.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the individual corner cell style value overrides the template corner cell style value.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein a second data cell is configured to include one or more of a text caption and a fifth software component, and wherein the fifth software component is configured to show and interact with one or more of a date, a time, a graph, a chart, a bitmap, streaming graphics, and a streaming bitmap; and wherein display data is received or retrieved from one or more of a software program, a database, a data file, and a data stream.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the data grid object includes a third data cell window adapted to show and interact with one or more of text, a date, a time, a graph, a chart, a bitmap, streaming graphics, and a streaming bitmap; and wherein cell data is received or retrieved from one or more of a software program, a database, a data file, and a data stream.
 17. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable information storage medium including instructions adapted to direct a computer to display a data grid software component in a GUI, comprising: (a) on the computer, instantiating a data grid software component object from a software class, wherein the software class includes a container window, and wherein: (i) the software class is configured to include two or more data cell windows, displayable in a grid organization in the container window; (ii) each data cell window is included in a data cell; (iii) a first data cell includes a first style property to define a first display style of a first data cell window included in the first data cell; (iv) the first style property is configured to include one or more of a first individual value and a first template value; and (v) the first data cell window is capable of configured for displaying a first data value included in the first data cell; (vi) the software class includes a header configured to include a second software component, wherein the header: A. is associated with one of a row and a column; B. includes two or more levels, with a first level matching a granularity of single data cells, and a second level matching a granularity spanning multiple data cells; and wherein the second software component is configured to show and interact with one or more of a date, a time, a graph, a chart, a bitmap, streaming graphics, and a streaming bitmap; and wherein display data is received or retrieved from one or more of a software program, a database, a data file, and a data stream; and (b) populating the data grid software component object with two or more data cell windows to show at least two data values and displaying the data grid software component object in the GUI.
 18. A system comprising: a client computer including a GUI; a database storing data; and an application server connected with the database and the client computer via at least one network, wherein the application server is adapted to retrieve the data from the database and communicate the retrieved data to the client computer; wherein the client computer includes a software program including instructions executable by the client computer to perform a method, the method comprising: (a) on the client computer, instantiating a data grid software component object from a software class, wherein the software class includes a container window, and wherein: (i) the software class is configured to include two or more data cell windows, displayable in a grid organization in the container window; (ii) each data cell window is included in a data cell; (iii) a first data cell includes a first style property to define a first display style of a first data cell window included in the first data cell; (iv) the first style property is configured to include one or more of a first individual value and a first template value; and (v) the first data cell window is configured for displaying a first data value included in the first data cell; (vi) the software class includes a header configured to include a second software component, wherein the header: A. is associated with one of a row and a column; B. includes two or more levels, with a first level matching a granularity of single data cells, and a second level matching a granularity spanning multiple data cells; and wherein the second software component is configured to show and interact with one or more of a date, a time, a graph, a chart, a bitmap, streaming graphics, and a streaming bitmap; and wherein display data is received or retrieved from one or more of a software program, a database, a data file, and a data stream; and (b) populating the data grid software component object with two or more data cell windows to show at least two data values and displaying the data grid software component object in the GUI. 